WABCO SIGNS $950 MILLION LONG-TERM AGREEMENT

WABCO Holdings Inc. announced that it has signed a $950 million long-term agreement with one of the world’s top manufacturers of commercial vehicles. Under the eight-year agreement, WABCO will equip two of the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) brands with its leading braking, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and efficiency technologies.

Although the enormous size of the deal, almost a billion dollar deal, Wabco is unwilling tot tell who the other party, the OEM, is. But as it is mentioned in the press release it is 'a global player with businesses in Europe and Brasil' and that Wabco states it will equip 'two of the original equipment manufacturer’s brands'. So it can be any of the five 'big' OEM's, Volvo, Daimler, Traton, Paccar/DAF and Iveco, and because they all produce buses and coaches or provides chassis and or drivelines to independent builders the possibility is that bus and coach operators will receive their vehicles with Wabo components inside. Wabco also mentions the OEM is participating in the EU Ensemble innovation consortium for platooning.

With this agreement Wabco states it is the OEM’s sole supplier for electronic braking systems (EBS) in Europe and anti-lock braking systems (ABS) in Brazil. It will also supply conventional valves to support both braking systems and provide air-disc brakes (ADB), electronically controlled air suspension (ECAS), actuators, and its next generation integrated pedal units (IPU). Additionally, Wabco will supply air compressors for the OEM’s engine brand while supporting the expansion of the engine’s availability in the U.S. and Brazil with local production and global engineering capabilities. Wabco's next generation Optimized Power Reduction (OPR) single-piston compressor and its new clutch solution offering enhanced fuel efficiency will also be part of of the deal.

Besides the OEM is also confirmed as Wabco's lead customer for its next generation OnGuardActive Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) solution with series production planned for 2019. Featuring a new radar sensor with a long radar detection range, as well as a wide near-range field of view, OnGuardActive can now provide up to full autonomous emergency braking on moving and stationary vehicles from a highway speed up to 80 km per hour – even in poor visibility conditions.